Boiler washing and filling system



F. W. MILLER.

BOILER WASHING AND FILLING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FLLED MAY T. 1917- 1,330,085. Patented Feb. 10,1920.

A TTORNEYS.

% WIN V EA! TOR.

UNITED TA ES PA ENT OFFICE.

\FRAN'K MI LLER,::0F 10HI0AG0, ILLINOIS."

BOILER wnsnrns Ann FI LING SYSTEM.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

j Application filed my 7, 1917. Serial in. 167,056.

To all whom it may concern I I Belt known that I, FRANK IV. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, res ding at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler WVashing and Filling Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boiler washing and filling systems by means of which locomotives are blown off, washed out and sub sequently refilled with hot freshwater preparatory to being put into service again.

Oneof the primary objects of mypresent invention is the provision of a system of this general character which will be highly efficient and 1 economical in service and capable of being installed at a moderate 'ofthe water in the washout and refilling lines, so that the water will not cool down below the required temperatures but will alw'ays be present at the drops at suitable temperature for use, I have connected the end of the refilling line with the steam blowoff line so that the refilling water is returned throughthe steam blow-off line to the filling water tank, and have likewise connected the end of the washout line with the blow-off water line so that the washout water is circulated through the blow off water line back to thewashout tank, thus I have provided for an adequate circulation of water in both the washout and refilling lines without the installation of. additional 7 circulating pipe lines.

Another purpose of my invention is to provide for the delivery of washout water to the drops at the requisite temperature for washing out a boiler. Since the water in the washout tank is'customarily .at a higher temperature than that at'which the washer can handle the washout nozzle it has I heretofore beenproposed to temper this water by admitting cold water to the intake pipe of the washout pump. In large roundhouses where the washout line is of considerable length the washout water, if delivered at the proper. temperature by the pump, will beconsiderably reduced in temperature and, consequently, too cold before reaches the washout drop. I have accordlngly provlded in my present invention for tempering the washout water at a point re.

mote from the pump by automatically admitting cold water thereto in sufiicient quantities to produce the required temperature of the washout water. In this connection I have also provided novel apparatus for mixing the cold water with the washout water without the utilization of a mixing and pressure equalizing tank, which has heretofore been considered indispensable when the water in the washout line and in the cold "water line were at difierent pressures.

Another object of my invention is to con- "dense at least a portion of the steam in the blow-ofl steam line before it enters the refilling tank so as to produce a partial vacuum in this line which will facilitate the blowmg ofi operation.

Qther objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accom- 'panying drawings, on which the single figure represents somewhat diagrammatically an elevational view of a boiler-washing and filling system embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawings it'will be observed that the system comprises essentially a washout tank 5, adapted to contain a quantity of water to be used for washout purposes, and a filling water tank6, adapted to contain a quantity of water-to. be used for refilling a blown off locomotive. Vhile these tanks are shown as structurally independent they 'may, of'course, be'formed as a single unit divided into washout and refilling compartments by a partition, and obviously the tanks may be made of wood, steel or other'suitable material.

are-designed to take place, is equipped with a refilling drop 7, a washout drop :8, and'a blow-off drop 9, the blow-oil and refilling drops being adapted to 'be connected with the boiler through the intermediary of flexible hose in the usual manner, and the washout drop being'equipped with a hose pr'0- vided with a washout nozzle, all of which are well known in the art. The blow-oil dropis connected by suitable'piping with the blow-ofi' steam'main 11, the .piping between the :drop and the main being constructed to include'a T connection 12, the lower leg of which is connected withthe blow-ofi'water main 13. Thepurpose .of this T connection 12 is to separate the blowoff steam from the blow-oil water so that.

the blow-ofi steam will be conducted through the blow-off steam main 11 to the filling water tank while the blow-off water will beconducted through the blow off water niain 13 to. the washout tank. Any other suitable construction might be employed. for separating the blow-off steam andwater but I havefound that the structuredisclosed is cheap, simple and satis factory. The blow-off steam is conducted through the main ll to a vertical pipe 14 steaminay be blown'ofi through this drop which extends downwardly into the refilling tank 6 below the water level therein and is equipped at its lower end with ainufller or. steam distributor through which the steam is'noiselessly delivered into the surrounding water to heat the same. The blow.-

off main 11 is also preferablyequipped with steam blow-oil drops 10 whichmaybe connected to the dome of a locom'otive'so that r at the same time that steam and water is blown oil through the drop '9, thereby en abling the locomotive to be blown down a more quickly. than it could be through the drop 9 alone.

ducted by the main 13 to a scale pocketor sludge receptacle 16 where the scale, sludge The blow-off water is conand other heavy impurities are collected and from which they may be delivered atiritervals through a pipe 17 v to the sewer. The

blow-ofl' water which has been relieved of" these heavyimpurities in the scale pocket isthen conducted through a pipe 18 to the washout tank where it is delivered through perforated distributing pipes 19 beneath the surface of the water in the tank.

' The water level in the washout tank is maintained by adn'litting cold water from a.

pipe 21' connected with the city main or any suitable source of fresh water supply, this supply pipe being providedwith a branch pipe 22 which delivers into the washout tank. The admission of Water to the washout tank through this pipe is regulated by a float valve 23 located in the pipe 22 and automatically controlled by the water level in the washout tank through the medium of a suitable float mechanism 24 connected with the tank. The pipe 22. is also preferably equipped'with a hand valve 25 by means of which the water supply to the washout tank-may be entirely shut oil should occasion requ re.

V Water from the washout tank 5 is delivered to the washout drops 8 througha washout main 26 bymeans of a pump 27 having its intake 28 connectedwith the tank 5 near the bottom thereof. This pump is preferably steam driven and the steam for this purpose .is received through a branch pipe 28from a live steam supply-pipe 29 connected with a steam, boiler 1n the power house; The

speedof the pump is regulated by the back.

pressure of the water in the washout line "delivered tothe washout drops-at the requisite temperature I have provided for admitting cold water to the washout hne 1n requisite quantlties' at a polnt. remote from the pu 1np,so that the temperature of c the washout water will not drop materially before it reaches the point :of use. With this end in ,view the washout main is equipped with a Y-co nnection 32, comprismg a nozzle 33 through which the washout water from the tank 5 is delivered. A pipe 34connected with the main cold water supply pipe 21 isconnected withonebranch delivered throi' gh thefnozzle 33'wil'l draw in cold. water by an injector faction, thus thoroughly mixing the hot and cold water and lnsuring the-admixture of ,thewaters irrespective of the difi'erences inv pressure between the water in the pipe 32 and the V water delivered by the pump 27. In order that the requisite amount of colcrjwater may be admitted to the washout main-the pipe 34 is equipped with a thermostatically controlled valve35 which is actuated and, controlled by a thermostatic element, of wellknown construction, projecting into the washout main beyond the point of-admission of the cold water, this element being' connected with the valve 35 by a connecting tube 36, so that expansion-and contraction of the element will serve-toopen and close the valve. In case it should be de; si-rabletoentirely shut off the cold water this may be done by means, of ahand valve 37 interposed inthepasses in any convivenient location. It will thus be seen that I am able to automatically temper the wash- 105 V of the Y-connection 32, so that the water I and at a pointremotefromthe washout "Pumps So that the washout wa r will be delivered at'the drop at suitable, temperature eforwashing out a boiler. Foremergency purposes a connectionis made between the cold water supply pipe 21 and the intake pipe '28 offthe washout pumpby'. means-of .a'pipe 38"equippedwith a hand valve'39 which is normally closed. 7

'The water level in the refilling tank 6'is' maintained by the admission of clean fresh water'thereto from the cold water supply 21 through a branch pipe 4'1, whic'lr'it will be observed is connected with; the 'blow-ofi' steam pipe. 14 through a T connection 42, so-thatcold water is admitted to this pipe to partially condense the blow-off steam before it reaches the tank 6, thereby producing a partial vacuum in the blow-ofl' steam main which facilitates the blowing off operation. The admission of water through the pipe 41 is regulated by a float valve 43, which is j steam from the supply pipe 29 through a branch pipe 45, the admission of steam to the tank 6 being regulated by a valve 46 which is. actuated and controlled by a thermostat 47 projecting into the tank. v

The refilling water from the tank 6 is delivered to the refilling drop 7 7 through a refilling main 48 by means of a pump 49 similar to the washout pump 27 driven by steam admitted from the supply pipe 29 through a branch 51 and controlled by a pressure controlled regulator 52 in a well known manner.

The blow-off steam which is principally relied upon to heat the refilling water in the tank 6 is supplemented by the exhaust steam from the pumps 27 and'49, which exhaust steam is delivered from the pumps through the branches '53 and 54 respectively, to a pipe 55 which is connected with the steam delivery pipe 14, and if preferred the exhaust steam from the power house may also be delivered into the pipe 14 through a pipe 56. The pipe 55 is preferably equipped with a check valve 57 which will prevent the pressure from backing up in the pipe 55 in the event of accumulation of excess pressure in the pipe 14.

In order to maintain a circulation of the refilling water in the refilling main 48 so that the water will not cool down in the long length of pipeincorporated in the refilling main I have connected the end of the refilling main with the end of the steam blowofi -main, as'indicated by reference 58. .The refilling watertherefore travels to the end of the refilling line under pressure of the pump 49 and is then returned to therefilling tank throu ghthe steam blow-off main 11. Simi- -larly,'to-maintain a circulation ofthe washout water in the washout main sufiicient to insure at all times water ofthe requisite temperature at the drops I have connected th'ee'nd of-the washout main with the blow- -ofl"- water'main by means of a pipe 59. The

washout-water therefore travels to'the end of the main under pressure from the pump 27 and is returned through the blow-ofi' water main l3 and the pipe '18 to the washout tank. It willbe evident therefore that I amable to effect the desired circulation of both the refilling and the washout water without the necessity of installing additional or separate circulating mains, such as have heretofore been employed for circulating the refilling and washout waters and returning them to their respective tanks.

It is believed that from the foregoing it will be understood that I have provided a boiler washing and filling system which is simple in construction and highly etficient in operation, but I do not wish to be restricted to the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated and described, as it is capable of considerable modification and variation within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A boiler washing and filling system, comprising washout and refilling tanks, washout and refilling lines connected with their respective tanks, blow-ofi' lines for conducting blow-off steam and water re spectively to the refilling and washout tanks, and connections between various of said lines whereby the refilling and washout waters are returned through said blow-off lines to their respective tanks. v

2. A boiler washing and filling system, comprising washout and refilling tanks, washout and refilling lines, a blow-ofi' steam line connected with the end. of said refilling line through which refilling water is returned to the refilling tank, a blow-oil water steam line and said blow ofi water line respectively.

3. boiler. washing and filling. system, comprising washout and refilling tanks,

washout and refilling mains for delivering water from said tanks respectively, a blowoff drop, means adjacent to the. drop for separating blown oif steam and water, a

blow-01f steam main and a blow-ofi' water mam for conducting said steam and water to said refillingtank and washout. tank respectively, a connection between the refilling main and said blow-off steam main, anda connection between said washout main and said blow-ofi' water main through which said blow-off steam and water malns serve as return circulating lines for said refilling and" wva'shout ma1ns respectively.

4. A boiler washing and filling. system,

- comprising washout and refilling tanks, washout-and refilling mains, a bloW-ofi drop, 'meansadjacent the drop for separating, the

'blowofi' water main for removing the scale,

' sludgeand the like from said blow-off Water.

5.; A boiler washing and I filling system,-

comprising' -twashout. and refilling tanks, washout andrefillinglines, a blow-Toff steam line, ablOw-ofilwater line, means for sepa rating the blow-01f steam. and water" and delivering the same to said bloW-ofistearn line and blow-ofi' water line, res ectively,

and a connection between saidwas outline and said blow-off water line through which washout water is returned through said blow-off water line to said washout tank to maintain .a circulation of water in said washout line. I

I FRANK W. MILLER. 

